Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ABUDHABI5298
2003-12-16 04:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: THE ARREST OF SADDAM
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 03/20/2007 11:35:18 AM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS TELEGRAM December 16, 2003 To: No Action Addressee Action: Unknown From: AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI (ABU DHABI 5298 - UNKNOWN) TAGS: OIIP, KMDR Captions: None Subject: MEDIA REACTION: THE ARREST OF SADDAM Ref: None _________________________________________________________________ UNCLAS ABU DHABI 05298 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: PAO INFO: POL AMB DCM ECON Laser1: ACTION: PAO DISSEMINATION: PAO CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: PAO:HOWINDECKER DRAFTED: PAO:AALKHATIB CLEARED: PAO:HOWINDECKER VZCZCADI690 OO RUEHC RUENAAA RUEKJCS RUEHZM RUEHLO RUEHFR RHRMDAB RUCJACC RUCQSOC DE RUEHAD #5298 3500422 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 160422Z DEC 03 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2705 RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEHZM/GCC COLLECTIVE RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0748 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0776 RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT RUCJACC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// RUCQSOC/USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL//PA//
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005298
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA;
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: THE ARREST OF SADDAM
UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005298
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA;
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: THE ARREST OF SADDAM
1. SUMMARY: THE ARREST OF SADDAM HUSSEIN DOMINATED COVERAGE IN
UAE PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. "AL BAYAN" EDITORIAL NOTED THAT
THE FALL OF SADDAM IS AN UNEXPECTED GIFT FOR THE AMERICAN
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH SINCE IT WILL HELP HIM IN THE ELECTIONS.
ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT IRAQ SHOULD BE SAVED
NOW THAT SADDAM HAS BEEN ARRESTED. END SUMMARY.
2. UNDER THE HEADLINE "END AND START," ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-
GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 12/15:
"... THE RED DAWN OPERATION ANNOUNCES A NEW DAWN IN IRAQ, A DAWN
PURE FROM ALL SUSPICIONS, PHANTOMS AND GHOSTS OF THE PREVIOUS
REPUBLIC OF FEAR AND TERROR ESTABLISHED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN, AND IS
AN INAUGURATION OF A NEW ERA OF OPENNESS AND RECONCILIATION THAT
DOES NOT LOOK BACK AND THAT YEARNS FOR THE FUTURE AND BUILDING A
NEW IRAQ WITH THE HANDS OF IRAQIS WITHOUT EXCLUDING ANYONE..."
3. NOTING THAT THE FALL OF SADDAM IS AN UNEXPECTED GIFT FOR THE
AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED
"AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 12/15:
"... BY ARRESTING SADDAM IT SEEMS THAT BUSH HAS CROSSED HALF THE
ROAD IN THE ELECTION RACING TRACK BEFORE IT OFFICIALLY STARTS...
IT IS NOW THE RIGHT OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE TO WAKE UP FROM THE
TERRIBLENESS OF THE WAR WITH THE VOICE OF PEACE AND
RECONCILIATION, AND TO REGAIN THEIR NATIONAL UNITY WITH NO
REVENGE OR ETHNIC AND SECTARIAN HATRED, WITH NO DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN ARABS AND KURDS, BETWEEN SHIIA AND SUNNA BECAUSE ALL ARE
IRAQIS IN A FREE UNITED COUNTRY..."
4. COMMENTING ON SADDAM'S CRIMES, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY
"AKHBAR AL ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 10/26:
"... IF THE U.S. WANTS TO PROSECUTE SADDAM FOR CRIMES HE
COMMITTED, THEY WILL NOT FIND SUCH CRIMES SINCE HE DID NOT GO TO
WAR AGAINST THE U.S., DID NOT POSSESS NUCLEAR WEAPONS, DID NOT
KILL AMERICANS, AND DID NOT SPREAD TERRORISM IN THE WORLD (AS FAR
AS AMERICAN STANDARDS ARE CONCERNED.) BUT THE IRAQI PEOPLE COULD
PROSECUTE HIM FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF REASONS AND FOR A
LOT OF CRIMES THAT WERE COMMITTED AGAINST THEM, STARTING WITH THE
UNJUSTIFIED WARS AND THE EXECUTIONS WITH NO PROSECUTION AND
ENDING BY HIS GOVERNMENT'S TYRANNICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE
PEOPLE..."
5. NOTING THAT NOW AFTER THE ARREST OF SADDAM THERE SHOULD BE
CERTAIN STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO SAVE IRAQ, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB
DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 12/15:
"... THE FIRST BASIC STEP TO SAVE IRAQ IS THE UNIFICATION OF
IRAQIS POLITICALLY, RELIGIOUSLY, AND ETHNICALLY... THE SECOND
STEP IS THAT ALL IRAQIS SHOULD BE UNIFIED TOWARDS ONE GOAL, WHICH
IS TO HASTEN THE WITHDRAWAL OF OCCUPATION... THE THIRD STEP IS
THAT THE IRAQI RESISTANCE SHOULD FREE ITSELF FROM BEING
AFFILIATED WRONGLY TO SADDAM AND THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF HIS
REGIME... WHAT WILL BE REALLY SURPRISING IS FOR THE OCCUPATION TO
HOLD ON TO LONG TERM EXISTENCE AND TO DELAY HANDING OVER IRAQ TO
IRAQIS FOR GOALS THAT ARE NOT A SECRET TO ANYONE WHICH ARE FOR
THE U.S. AND THE ZIONIST'S BENEFITS BUT NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF
IRAQ AND IRAQIS..."
WAHBA
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA;
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: THE ARREST OF SADDAM
1. SUMMARY: THE ARREST OF SADDAM HUSSEIN DOMINATED COVERAGE IN
UAE PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. "AL BAYAN" EDITORIAL NOTED THAT
THE FALL OF SADDAM IS AN UNEXPECTED GIFT FOR THE AMERICAN
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH SINCE IT WILL HELP HIM IN THE ELECTIONS.
ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT IRAQ SHOULD BE SAVED
NOW THAT SADDAM HAS BEEN ARRESTED. END SUMMARY.
2. UNDER THE HEADLINE "END AND START," ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-
GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 12/15:
"... THE RED DAWN OPERATION ANNOUNCES A NEW DAWN IN IRAQ, A DAWN
PURE FROM ALL SUSPICIONS, PHANTOMS AND GHOSTS OF THE PREVIOUS
REPUBLIC OF FEAR AND TERROR ESTABLISHED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN, AND IS
AN INAUGURATION OF A NEW ERA OF OPENNESS AND RECONCILIATION THAT
DOES NOT LOOK BACK AND THAT YEARNS FOR THE FUTURE AND BUILDING A
NEW IRAQ WITH THE HANDS OF IRAQIS WITHOUT EXCLUDING ANYONE..."
3. NOTING THAT THE FALL OF SADDAM IS AN UNEXPECTED GIFT FOR THE
AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED
"AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 12/15:
"... BY ARRESTING SADDAM IT SEEMS THAT BUSH HAS CROSSED HALF THE
ROAD IN THE ELECTION RACING TRACK BEFORE IT OFFICIALLY STARTS...
IT IS NOW THE RIGHT OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE TO WAKE UP FROM THE
TERRIBLENESS OF THE WAR WITH THE VOICE OF PEACE AND
RECONCILIATION, AND TO REGAIN THEIR NATIONAL UNITY WITH NO
REVENGE OR ETHNIC AND SECTARIAN HATRED, WITH NO DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN ARABS AND KURDS, BETWEEN SHIIA AND SUNNA BECAUSE ALL ARE
IRAQIS IN A FREE UNITED COUNTRY..."
4. COMMENTING ON SADDAM'S CRIMES, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY
"AKHBAR AL ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 10/26:
"... IF THE U.S. WANTS TO PROSECUTE SADDAM FOR CRIMES HE
COMMITTED, THEY WILL NOT FIND SUCH CRIMES SINCE HE DID NOT GO TO
WAR AGAINST THE U.S., DID NOT POSSESS NUCLEAR WEAPONS, DID NOT
KILL AMERICANS, AND DID NOT SPREAD TERRORISM IN THE WORLD (AS FAR
AS AMERICAN STANDARDS ARE CONCERNED.) BUT THE IRAQI PEOPLE COULD
PROSECUTE HIM FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF REASONS AND FOR A
LOT OF CRIMES THAT WERE COMMITTED AGAINST THEM, STARTING WITH THE
UNJUSTIFIED WARS AND THE EXECUTIONS WITH NO PROSECUTION AND
ENDING BY HIS GOVERNMENT'S TYRANNICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE
PEOPLE..."
5. NOTING THAT NOW AFTER THE ARREST OF SADDAM THERE SHOULD BE
CERTAIN STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO SAVE IRAQ, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB
DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 12/15:
"... THE FIRST BASIC STEP TO SAVE IRAQ IS THE UNIFICATION OF
IRAQIS POLITICALLY, RELIGIOUSLY, AND ETHNICALLY... THE SECOND
STEP IS THAT ALL IRAQIS SHOULD BE UNIFIED TOWARDS ONE GOAL, WHICH
IS TO HASTEN THE WITHDRAWAL OF OCCUPATION... THE THIRD STEP IS
THAT THE IRAQI RESISTANCE SHOULD FREE ITSELF FROM BEING
AFFILIATED WRONGLY TO SADDAM AND THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF HIS
REGIME... WHAT WILL BE REALLY SURPRISING IS FOR THE OCCUPATION TO
HOLD ON TO LONG TERM EXISTENCE AND TO DELAY HANDING OVER IRAQ TO
IRAQIS FOR GOALS THAT ARE NOT A SECRET TO ANYONE WHICH ARE FOR
THE U.S. AND THE ZIONIST'S BENEFITS BUT NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF
IRAQ AND IRAQIS..."
WAHBA